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JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ November 8, 1861^ 



Amaryllis longifolia and bosea— Potting Ismene calathinum Bulbs 

 [Thorn). — Pot them forthwith in turfy loam and leaf mould in equal parts, 

 ■with a free admixture of sand. If the soil is moist do not water, but place 

 the two former in a cool greenhouse, and the last in a warm greenhouse 

 or cool stove. When they begin to grow, whi?h they will do towards spring, 

 water sparingly at first, gradually inereasiag the quantity as growth pro- 

 gresses, giving plenty in summer, reducing the quantity in autumn, and 

 giving but little in winter. Keep in a light airy situation. In labelling, 

 for Amaryllis longifolia write Crinum capense; and for Amaryllis rosea, 

 Crinum capense rosea. They are nearly if not quite hardy in some parts of 

 the country. They will grow in sheltered situations with a little litter over 

 them in winter. 



Books (Sandhurst).— There is a cover for each volume of "The Florist 

 and Pomologist," and it maybe procured at our office. No " Annals of 

 Horticulture" has appeared since 1849. "The Gardeners' Year Book" is 

 published annually at our office, and contains tbe information you seem to 

 require. (A Young Gardener) .—There is no difficulty in the way of any 

 bookseller, wbo has a trustworthy Loudon agent, obtaining "The Wild 

 Flowers of Great Britain." The Numbers appear regularly on the 1st of 

 each month, and may be had direct from our office free by post for thirteen 

 penny postage stamps. Mcintosh's " Bookof the Garden" is an exc&llent 

 work for a young gardener. It may be obtained through any bookseller. 

 It is in two volumes, price £1 11*. 6d. and £2 L2s. 6d. 



Gas Stove in Greenhouse (Fydc).— If, as you describe, all the fumes; 

 arising from the burning of the gas are conveyed by a pipe into the outside 

 air, the stove may be safely used. 



Peaks (<?. I. £.).— Sis Pears for your walls, to ripen from October to 

 March, may be Beurre* Diel, Bem-re" Ranee, Glou Morceau, Passe Colmar, 

 Ne Plus Meuris, and Winter Nelis. 



Diseased Grapes { W. M. C).— They are *' spotted " as gardeners describe 

 ulceration of the berry. As the crop is very heavy, the disease is probably 

 caused by the roots not being able to supply sap sufficient to maintain 

 healthy growth. The berries were too bruised to enable us to identify the 

 variety. The roots are probably outside and too cold. 



Planting Flower Garden {Alpha). — We think your proposed planting 

 will do very well, though it would have been easier dono with small beds. 

 The design is pretty, but the fine figures in the centre will be drowned by 

 the large ones round them. We question whether one bed of an octagon 

 shape would not have looked better. 



Holes in Rhododendron Leaves (E. W.). — The leaves on the shoots 

 enclosed are eaten or punctured through by the larvte of some insect, but 

 what that has been we are unable to tell. Ants have nothing to do with the 

 mischief. Had you looked at tbe Rhododendron foliage in July and August 

 you would have found a dusky-looking caterpillar, about three-quarters of 

 an inch in length, feeding on the then succulent leaves; and had it been 

 picked off with the hand and destroyed, the mischief would, to a certain 

 extent, have been mitigated. 



Boxes Coated instde with Gas Tar (A. II.).— If the tar was allowed to 

 become thoroughly dry, or be absorbed by the wood before soil was put in '.he 

 boxes, it will not injure the cuttings more than had the boxes been coated 

 with ordinary lead paint. The roots, however, of all plants do not like tar, 

 and we do not see why it was applied to the inside of the boxes. After the 

 boxes have been used some time the tar will wear off; but if the plants 

 will not grow in them satisfactorily you have no remedy but to take the 

 boxes to pieces and have the tar planed off. We think this will be unneces- 

 sary, and that you are needlessly alarmed; for what we said of gas tar bad 

 no relation to such work as yours. It related to an entirely different subject; 

 but yet no plant will grow well in a tarred tub or box. 



Alocasia metal lic a and Lowii Drying Off— Nepenthes distillatoeia 

 {A Sunderland Amateur) .—The Alocasias should have less moisture, less 

 heat, and no more water during winter than is necessary to keep the soil 

 barely moist. The temperature named is quite low enough, a minimum of 

 65* being most suitable. The bottom heat is right, hut the saucers of water 

 ought to be dispensed with at this season. The soil should not be allowed 

 to become dust dry, nor ought tho foliage to be allowed to suffer for want of 

 water. A rest is essential to free growth next season. They should not be 

 dried like Caladiums, but still rested by diminishing the atmospheric 

 moisture, heat, and the supply of water at the root. They will do under 

 the conditions named in the refuse or tan, preference being given to the 

 former. The Nepenthes also should have a rest, and it will do under the 

 same conditions as the Alocasias at this season. In winter it should not 

 have so much moisture, nor heat, as when growing. 



Names of Fruits (67. Taylor). — 1, Bem-re" de Ranee; 2, Forelle Pear; 

 3, Cellini; 4, Wormsley Pippin; 5, Nonpariel; 7, Reinette du Canada; 

 8, Golden Winter Pearraalu ; 10, Cellini. 2—1, Autumn Bergamot ; 

 2— 2, Passe Colmar; 2— 3, Margil ; 2— 4, Trumpington; 2— 6, Kerry Pippin. 

 [S. B.), — 1, Dumelow's Seedling; 2, Herefordshire Pearmain; 5, Winter 

 Greening; 6, Autumn Pearmain; 8, Court of Wick. (Bushbridge). — 

 1, Fondante de Malines; 2, Sans Pepins; 3, Duchesse d'Angoiil&rae. 

 (C F. 0.).—J, Suffolk Thorn Pear; 2, Blenheim Pippin ; 3, Ribston Pippin ; 

 8, Mank's Codlin ; 9, Wyken Pippin. iJS. P.).— 35, Emperor Alexander; 

 38, Nonpariel; 60, and 77, Court of Wick; 80, Herefordshire Pearmain. 

 When numbers are not mentioned the specimens were not recognised. 

 (JF. B. B.).— Fears.— 1, Beurr6 Diel; 2, Bem-re" Bosc; 4, Beurre' Diel.; 

 6, Beurre" de Ranee. {Apples).— l.Hollandbury ; 2, Dumelow's Seedling; 

 3, Scarlet Nonpareil; 4, Beauty of Kent; 5 and 6, Court Pendu-plat. 



Names of Plants {M. D.).— Salvia Grahami. {Earn). — 1, Corydalis 

 lutea; 2, Too young to name ; 3, Inula dysenterica; 4, Eupatorium canna- 

 hinum ; 5, Nardus stricta ; 6, A grostis alba ; 7, Spergularia rubra. { Orchid- 

 ophitus).—'We s&v no reason why your plant should not be Cattleya superba, 

 except that the flower is smaller than usual. {Eskdale). — 1, Seems to be a 

 Tradescantia, but the flower is completely smashed by the past- office 

 stamper ; 2, Tritonia aurea. 



POULTRY, BEE, and HOUSEHOLD CHRONICLE. 



POULTRY SHOWS IK THE SOUTH. 

 I shall be glad if I can be spared a little space to say a 

 few -words on this subject. I know England, north, and 

 south, pretty well; I may add east and west too, nor am I 



a stranger to things existing in the manufacturing districts 

 of Lancashire, and my eye has always been upon poultry. 

 First, in regard to shows, their uses and benefits. By 

 placing prominently before the eyes of many persons beau- 

 tiful specimens of the various breeds of fowls, it follows that 

 at every show a desire arises in some of the lookers-on to 

 possess such fowls as they behold. Also, in some who 

 already keep good birds, there comes a wish to possess 

 better. Hence each show increases the love of poultry. It is 

 seed sown : therefore, shows should be encouraged by all 

 who are lovers of, or who are interested in fowls. Again :. 

 shows are supported to a great extent by amateurs, more or 

 less wealthy, who keep no account of expenditure, and, 

 doubtless, sacrifice a considerable sum yearly, only being 

 paid by the pleasure afforded; and who will say, that to such 

 persons so situated, this is bad pay ? 



Next w<e oometo a class of fanciers of special sorts of fowls, 

 who having a name, in most cases well earned, make their 

 hobby self-supporting, or even very remunerative. But 

 poultry shows must for stability look to something else. To 

 succeed permanently they must rest upon a broad com- 

 mercial basis. Fancy alone will not do; whims even the most 

 amiable seldom fill the pocket, though by the way, I am for 

 hobbies without loss at any rate. In short, shows must pay, 

 and they can only pay by introducing or encouraging those 

 kinds of fowls which are profitable. Now, in the south, 

 Dorkings are chiefly kept. Without doubt, the Dorking is 

 the paying table fowl ; its square build, its deep breast 

 giving an extra cut, point it out as the very fowl for the 

 cook. But fowls have another use — viz., they are producers 

 of eggs, and hundreds of eggs are broken in our kitchens to 

 every couple of fowls cooked. Now, in the south of England 

 egg-producing fowls are not kept in sufficient numbers, 

 hence French eggs, Jersey eggs, and Irish eggs, are im- 

 ported in thousands, and who is to know when they were 

 laid ? By the way, I always date each egg with my pencil 

 as I take it from the nest. It is such a comfort to see the 

 date before you break the top at breakfast, feeling quite 

 sure that all is right inside. Dorkings for farmers, and for- 

 others who supply the southern markets with table fowls. 

 For them many prizes should be given at all southern shows. 

 The egg question remains, and I am sure many may add 

 to a living by the sale of eggs, who cannot breed fowls. I 

 say, then, to our southern friends : your motto must be, 

 "Hamburghs come south," and to bring them south offer 

 many and good prizes. They, the Hamburghs, are our best 

 egg-produeers, and until the breed is made tolerably uni- 

 versal in England, there will be a deficiency in eggs. Fancy 

 will do for other fowls, but Dorkings and Hamburghs do 

 not rest on mere fancy. Surely the admirable qualities of 

 the Hamburgh cannot be known. At the Chippenham Show 

 last year, not one pen of Silver-spangled was exhibited, and 

 only two of Golden-pencilled and Silver-pencilled, and only 

 one of Golden-spangled. Eggs are the want, and from 

 Hamburghs alone can come the supply. Let them not, then, 

 be regarded any longer as mere pretty fancy fowls. People 

 who keep poultry for profit have something yet to learn. 

 Dorkings for farmers ; Cochins and Spanish for town yards ; 

 Hamburghs for eggs where a tolerable run is to be had. 



In writing upon this subject I take care to keep quite 

 clear of my own individual taste or fancy, and to take a 

 broad view. Pet love blinds one eye at least. A fancier 

 will naturally " write up " what he fancies. Lovers of 

 Brahmas, those "wandering Cochins," or Cochins without 

 one great benefit of Cochins — viz., being stayers at home, 

 will write up Brahmas. All this is riatural, but what we 

 want is more eggs. I quite endorse the words of "A 

 Thoroughbred Spanish," " unless we cultivate and en- 

 courage the breed of everlasting layers, we shall not be able 

 to compete with the French in eggs." So, again, I say, 

 " Hamburghs of all kinds to the south." They are profit- 

 able w'.iere profit is needed. Other classes for fancy, and 

 fancy prices ; but Dorkings and Hamburghs for profit. Their 

 excellencies are opposite, but keep the two, then the table 

 will be supplied both with chickens and eggs. Let these 

 two kinds be especially encouraged in all poultry shows in 

 the south, this will bring both before the eye, and encourage 

 both breeds ; and I feel sure, both breeds being profitable, 

 they will, if kept in great numbers, in turn support the show. 

 Wiltshire Eector. 



